After a few trials, the LA-ICP-MS olivine work has been established successfully! The data were corrected using LADR software.

Over 20 EPR and Siqueiros Transform olivine-bearing samples were analyzed, with > 400 LA spots. The data look pretty good, with some interesting findings! 

After three days EPMA parameters setting, data calibration and quantification. I was able to obtain high precision EPMA olivine minor and trace elements for EPR 8°20' seamount and Siqueiros Transform lava samples. 

The data is very promising. They record different variation patterns for some key petrogenetic elements such as Ca, Ti, Ni, Mn, Al, etc. Olivine with mantle and igneous origins are also identified, which can help unravel mantle and magma history. More info will be explored!

Thanks to the newly implemented third-generation Nu-Plasma MC-ICPMS with a new LIBS laser system, I was able to date monazite grains with growth zones <10μm using a laser spot size at 5μm. By utilizing the multiple monazite age reference, such as Bananeira, Diamantina, Itambé, Moacyr, and applying the analytical protocols developed back in 2019 September (see the development work), I successfully dated 13 representative monazite-bearing samples, including garnet aplite sill, garnet-cordierite migmatite, and amphibolite-granulite facies metapelites at different structural levels, in the central zone of Damara Orogen. 

The results are interesting though quite complex. Monazite seem to preserve a long period of growth (over 100 Myrs), and multiple monazite growth and breakdown took place as response to polyphase metamorphic events in the Damara Orogen. 

After two weeks experimentation on EPMA olivine minor and trace element analyses. Now the technique has been established! We are able to measure trace elements in olivine below 50ppm with sufficient data accuracy. Cheers!

After a few trials, I successfully applied our improved background modeling on the Pb and U analyses. The detailed WDS step scans of Pb Mα and U Mβ were S-G (Savitzky–Golay) filtered and "range-based" modeled. The data accuracy now have been significantly improved! Keep on working!